The Montgolfier Brothers' debut album, 'Seventeen Stars' was one of the highlights of the year 2000. Based on the brainchild of Gnac AKA Mark Tranmer and vocalist Roger Quigley, it was a perfect mix of the former's use of ancient instruments and Vini Reilly-like fluid guitar playing and Quigley's beautiful, melancholy-drenched yet crystal clear vocals. Fans of that release will be pleased to note there's more of the same here. For the most part 'The World Is Flat' sticks to tried and trusted territory; the brilliance of 'The Understudy', 'Swings And Roundabouts' and the title track; tearjerkers are very much the order of the day. Diversions arrive in the form of 'Be Selfish' that features an extended archaic organ outro from Tranmer that distills the essence of innocence and longing inherent in much of these recordings. The instrumental 'The Second Takes Forever' is a soundtrack to the awkwardness and self-consciousness of waiting around in a crowded room and by the time the finale arrives in the shape of 'Inches Away' the feeling of quiet desperation is almost too much to bear. Not the happiest album to discover this year but no one apart from the recently-reformed Lotus Eaters are making records like this anymore.